Reza Pahlavi is an Iranian political activist and the crown prince of Iran who has been living in exile in U.S. since 1979. Recently, he has addressed fellow Iranians in a post on X, in honor of the ancient Persian holiday, Chaharshanbe Suri. The Iranian festival is celebrated on the last Tuesday evening before the Persian New Year or Nowruz, marking the end of winter and the beginning of spring. The exiled Crown Prince urged Iranians worldwide to stand before Iranian embassies and celebrate the country’s glorious history.
Reza Pahlavi’s message was clear. He believes the day will not only celebrate the holy festival but will also ignite tenacity in all Iranians who rebel against the oppressive regime. He urges Iranians to join hands to “show the world that the day of Iran’s liberation draws near.”
Time and time again, the country’s Persian roots have collided with Shi’ism. Last year, during Chaharshanbe Suri, young Iranian men and women used the celebrations to assert their ideological and political stance. According to The Jerusalem Post, protesters jumped over the celebratory flames while chanting, “Reza Shah, rohat shad!” Many of them were women who stepped out without a scarf to openly challenge the regime’s strict hijab protocols.
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In the message written in Farsi, Reza Pahlavi wrote, “My compatriots, on the eve of Charshanbeh Suri, the anti-Iranian regime of the Islamic Republic is once again attempting to prevent this ancient national ritual. But this year, we will mark Charshanbeh Suri with solemn national pride in memory of the brave souls who have sacrificed their lives to reclaim Iran and our national identity.”
‘I call on all Iranians abroad to gather on Charshanbeh Suri in front of the regime’s embassies around the world and shout with one voice: the Iranian nation will not rest until Iran is liberated and the Islamic Republic is consigned to history.”
Reza Pahlavi, who is a strong critic of the Islamic Republic regime, hopes that the fiery celebrations of the festival will purify the soil of Iran and purge the “criminal occupiers.”
He added, “Our message is clear: our fire, the symbol of Iran’s light and purity, will triumph over the darkness of this un-Iranian regime and cleanse the soil of our homeland from its criminal occupiers.”
Pahlavi then directly addressed Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu, penning a request for them to keep a close watch on Iran on this day. He implored them to extend their helping hand to maintain a safe environment for the Iranians who will gather to observe the day with a festive spirit.
Reza continued, “I urge the President of the United States and the Prime Minister of Israel to closely monitor developments on this day to ensure that the Islamic Republic is not permitted to meet the brave people of Iran with violence during this national observance.”
